Cashiering Pays Off
by Dr. Sparkles
Summary: Angela Weber is expecting a normal day at work. She gets a surprise. AU, All Human.


_This was something that wouldn't leave my mind, no matter how hard I tried. It's a new pairing for me and it's also unbeta'd so any mistakes contained herein are my own. Hope it doesn't suck too bad!  
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><p>He comes through my line every Thursday like clockwork. Around 4 or 4:15 if he's running a little bit late, he walks into the Thriftway. He's always dressed very well and every woman within a ten mile radius starts staring. Even me. He doesn't acknowledge it, but his lips lift at the corners, as though he's perfectly aware and is trying to hide a smile as he gets a basket and starts his shopping. I like that about him. Some men would bask in the attention, try to use it in order to meet people but he doesn't.<p>

Everyone in town knows he's single. Adoptive father of five teenagers who didn't have a chance in the foster care system. A lot of women have tried to use their wiles to catch his attention but he hasn't responded to any of them. So eventually, he was written off as a lost cause. Dr. Carlisle "The Unattainable" Cullen.

I'm not sure why, but there's something about him that I can't push out of my head. Is it his glorious smile that he always gives me when it's his turn to be rung up for his groceries? Is it the fact that he always takes the time to ask me how my week has been and how my college classes are going? Or is it just the simple fact that the man is utterly gorgeous? I have no idea. But like everyone else, I always look at him when he comes here.

Sighing to myself, I busy myself with tidying up my little cubicle area. I get so involved in the task that I jump when a golden voice asks, "How are you today, Angela?"

Swallowing hard, I look up to find him standing there, an amused look on his face. _Get your shit together, Angela_ I tell myself sternly and hasten to answer him. I'm glad that my voice isn't squeaky or cracking as it sometimes does around him.

"I'm quite well, Dr. Cullen and yourself?" I ask as I reach for the first item. This is our well established routine and I almost drop the celery when he says softly, "Call me Carlisle, and I'm quite well."

There was something different in his face today and I wasn't sure what was going on. "That's good to hear, D...Carlisle."

I definitely fumbled the oranges when he smiled at me. It wasn't his usual polite smile. This had warmth behind it and his eyes crinkled at the corners. "It certainly beats the alternative."

"It does. You could be dealing with twin terrors like I have to." I mock complained. My little brothers really aren't all that bad...for the most part.

He laughed. "I take it they're still full of energy?"

I nod vigerously as I bag some cans of tomatoes and corn. "You could say that!"

Leaning against the counter, Dr. Cullen-no, _Carlisle_ watches me as I work. I'm glad that bagging is something I've done for a long time or I'd be dropping stuff all over the place. "How's Ben?" he asks after a moment. There's something artfully casual about his tone that makes me think he's fishing for information. But why would he care about Ben?

Puzzled, I reply, "We broke up four months ago. Just couldn't make the long distance thing work. I don't think about him much any more."

Why was I telling him this? The entire conversation wasn't really making too much sense.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Carlisle told me seriously as he got out his wallet.

I shrugged. "We were high school sweethearts and I think he was wanting to get out and travel the world. I'm happy here. Sure, a change of scenery for a vacation is nice but I want to stay here. By my family."

He smiled again and I could feel my heart thundering in my chest. _Down girl_ I thought as I waited for him to swipe his debit card through the machine. "Are you working on Friday?" he asked idly.

Was he _really _asking me this? Me, Angela "you're cute but not hot" Weber? Wordlessly, I shook my head.

"Good." Carlisle said. Reaching into his pocket again, he pulled out a business card and pointed to the second number below it. "Call me on Thursday night and tell me where you live. We can take the twins for pizza."

Gaping, I took the card with trembling fingers as he picked up the bags. "Angela?" he said softly.

It broke me from my reverie and I looked him in the eye. "Y-yeah?"

The grin was back. "Ben was an idiot."

As he walked away, all I could do was thank my lucky stars that I had gotten a job at the Thriftway.

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><p><em>Please leave a review if you liked it, or think I should keep going. Thanks!<em>


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